NTSB: NJ Ferry Crisis Left No Time to Warn Riders

Crew Recall Final Hectic Seconds Before Crash

Federal accident investigators say crew scrambling to gain control of a New Jersey high-speed ferry before it crashed into a Manhattan pier reported having no time to warn hundreds of passengers of the pending crash.

The preliminary findings of the National Transportation Safety Board were released Friday. They recounted the hectic final seconds aboard a Seastreak vessel before it crashed into Pier 11 on Jan. 9, injuring 85 people.

The ferry was carrying 326 passengers from Atlantic Highlands, N.J.

The NTSB said it crashed after the master crewmember steering the boat reduced the speed from 30 knots to 12 knots.

It said he tried to switch propulsion control from the boat's center to its side. The captain told investigators the propulsion control failed during that process.